The birth of a non-racial democracy in South Africa brought many challenges such as the supply of potable water to all societies irrespective of their colour or even location. Migration of people from rural to urban has increased the demand of potable water supply in many areas that were previously neglected by the former Apartheid regime. The increase of the human population in urban or developing areas of South Africa will therefore imply that various public services such as potable water supply, proper housing, electricity supply, schooling and basic health facilities should be provided in an efficient, effective and economic manner. As the resident of Khuma Township, the researcher has a keen interest in the management of potable water supply in this area, inter alia, the nature and extent of the physical environment and the efficiency and effectiveness of a potable water supply as a means of improving service delivery by the Matlosana Local Municipality to Khuma Township. The area has the history of gold mining and the majority of the people from other rural areas and neighbouring states moved into this area and were later joined by their families. This resulted in an increase in the population to a point where people were placed in dangerous areas such as underlying dolomite and along the Koekemoer spruit. For example, extension 6 is known to experience sinkholes due to underground mining activities and the underline dolomite rock. The population has increased in Khuma Township to such an extent that a shortage of potable water supply is been experienced. Khuma Township had one water reservoir for the past 40 years and Matlosana Local Municipality did not improve or developed infrastructure related to potable water supply to be able to cater for the increasing population of this area. An empirical study was conducted in among the residents of Khuma Township, Matlosana Local Municipality and role-players in the management of potable water supply. From this study, it was evident that the supply of potable water in Khuma Township is insufficient, and there was poor communication, cooperation and participation between Matlosana Local Municipality and the residents of Khuma Township. The ineffective management of potable water supply in Khuma Township by the Matlosana Local Municipality as well as ignoring the significance of settling people in a safe area that is free from water pollution, sinkholes and underlying dolomite rock left a lot to be desired. The researcher arrived at logical conclusions and recommendations with regard to all aspects related to future management of potable water supply in Khuma Township. / M Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The birth of a non-racial democracy in South Africa brought many challenges such as the supply of potable water to all societies irrespective of their colour or even location. Migration of people from rural to urban has increased the demand of potable water supply in many areas that were previously neglected by the former Apartheid regime. The increase of the human population in urban or developing areas of South Africa will therefore imply that various public services such as potable water supply, proper housing, electricity supply, schooling and basic health facilities should be provided in an efficient, effective and economic manner. As the resident of Khuma Township, the researcher has a keen interest in the management of potable water supply in this area, inter alia, the nature and extent of the physical environment and the efficiency and effectiveness of a potable water supply as a means of improving service delivery by the Matlosana Local Municipality to Khuma Township. The area has the history of gold mining and the majority of the people from other rural areas and neighbouring states moved into this area and were later joined by their families. This resulted in an increase in the population to a point where people were placed in dangerous areas such as underlying dolomite and along the Koekemoer spruit. For example, extension 6 is known to experience sinkholes due to underground mining activities and the underline dolomite rock. The population has increased in Khuma Township to such an extent that a shortage of potable water supply is been experienced. Khuma Township had one water reservoir for the past 40 years and Matlosana Local Municipality did not improve or developed infrastructure related to potable water supply to be able to cater for the increasing population of this area. An empirical study was conducted in among the residents of Khuma Township, Matlosana Local Municipality and role-players in the management of potable water supply. From this study, it was evident that the supply of potable water in Khuma Township is insufficient, and there was poor communication, cooperation and participation between Matlosana Local Municipality and the residents of Khuma Township. The ineffective management of potable water supply in Khuma Township by the Matlosana Local Municipality as well as ignoring the significance of settling people in a safe area that is free from water pollution, sinkholes and underlying dolomite rock left a lot to be desired. The researcher arrived at logical conclusions and recommendations with regard to all aspects related to future management of potable water supply in Khuma Township. / M Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This investigative study was undertaken against the background of the recent calls for back to basics by the Schooling 2025 initiative, as well as to address the 2000 and 2009 Review Committees’ reports on the training and development of teachers and on the variable quality of learning support materials. The act of systemic transformation has led to two curriculum revisions taking place within the South African education sector and has inevitably culminated in the identification of shortcomings in teacher development and learning materials. This study has positioned itself to address these shortcomings at pre-service level through the preparation of Mathematics student teachers as prospective Mathematics teachers. In addressing the issue of inadequate training, the focus of the study was not only on cognition, but also on how affect could influence the learning of Mathematics so as to ensure a more encompassing approach in understanding how student teachers learn and do Mathematics. Integrated research on affect and cognition could lead to optimal performance in the teaching and learning of Mathematics and researchers in mathematics education need to acknowledge the role and impact of the affective domain and integrate it into studies of cognition. If learners are going to become competent learners of Mathematics, their affective responses to Mathematics are going to be much more intense than if they are merely expected to achieve satisfactory levels of performance in low-order mathematical skills. In the studies on mathematics cognition, the focus of mathematical competencies is on abilities and capabilities while, in the affective domain, competencies in mathematics are more than the abilities to perform observable tasks. Rather, the focus of the affective competencies lies in the direction, the degree and the levels of intensities of affect constructs (or their variables) that will define mathematical competencies within the affective domain. Evidentiary (qualitative) data from this study supported the contention that affect does influence the learning of mathematics since there were distinct patterns in the overall expressions of participants towards this aspect of the research. The acknowledgment of the concerns of student teachers during field practicum could possibly help in ameliorating these concerns through the identification of what student teachers were mostly concerned about when teaching Mathematics and how, by addressing these concerns, could help improve their teaching skills and abilities. Based on the quantitative evidence, the three subscales of self, task and impact used in the Student Concerns Questionnaire (SCQ) were modified on the basis of factor analysis to a two-factor model (concerns about self-benefit and concerns about learner-benefit). Some of the statistical results were integrated with the narrative data to provide substantive support for the expressions of student teachers. No classical trends, as noted in the concerns theory, could be detected in this study. It was statistically inferred that a majority of Mathematics student teachers who participated in this study were moderately concerned about most of the concerns statements noted in each of the items on the SCQ. In addressing the variable quality of the learning material the study focused on the development and the use of social context learning packages. The utilisation of these learning packages (in an intervention strategy) was aimed at strengthening social context knowledge and education, and explored its role in the translation (if any) of student teacher concerns within a hierarchical spectrum. The evidence on how student teachers perceived the use of these learning packages was recorded during the interviews. Analyses of the verbal data revealed that the participating student teachers agreed with the use of social context learning packages as part of their Mathematics lessons. In sum, the need to prepare effective Mathematics teachers and raise the academic calibre of prospective Mathematics teachers was fundamental to the overall design of this study. It is trusted that curriculum planners and designers will consider the recommendations of this study to address the so-called inadequacies within the education system of South Africa. / Thesis (PhD (Mathematics Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

This investigative study was undertaken against the background of the recent calls for back to basics by the Schooling 2025 initiative, as well as to address the 2000 and 2009 Review Committees’ reports on the training and development of teachers and on the variable quality of learning support materials. The act of systemic transformation has led to two curriculum revisions taking place within the South African education sector and has inevitably culminated in the identification of shortcomings in teacher development and learning materials. This study has positioned itself to address these shortcomings at pre-service level through the preparation of Mathematics student teachers as prospective Mathematics teachers. In addressing the issue of inadequate training, the focus of the study was not only on cognition, but also on how affect could influence the learning of Mathematics so as to ensure a more encompassing approach in understanding how student teachers learn and do Mathematics. Integrated research on affect and cognition could lead to optimal performance in the teaching and learning of Mathematics and researchers in mathematics education need to acknowledge the role and impact of the affective domain and integrate it into studies of cognition. If learners are going to become competent learners of Mathematics, their affective responses to Mathematics are going to be much more intense than if they are merely expected to achieve satisfactory levels of performance in low-order mathematical skills. In the studies on mathematics cognition, the focus of mathematical competencies is on abilities and capabilities while, in the affective domain, competencies in mathematics are more than the abilities to perform observable tasks. Rather, the focus of the affective competencies lies in the direction, the degree and the levels of intensities of affect constructs (or their variables) that will define mathematical competencies within the affective domain. Evidentiary (qualitative) data from this study supported the contention that affect does influence the learning of mathematics since there were distinct patterns in the overall expressions of participants towards this aspect of the research. The acknowledgment of the concerns of student teachers during field practicum could possibly help in ameliorating these concerns through the identification of what student teachers were mostly concerned about when teaching Mathematics and how, by addressing these concerns, could help improve their teaching skills and abilities. Based on the quantitative evidence, the three subscales of self, task and impact used in the Student Concerns Questionnaire (SCQ) were modified on the basis of factor analysis to a two-factor model (concerns about self-benefit and concerns about learner-benefit). Some of the statistical results were integrated with the narrative data to provide substantive support for the expressions of student teachers. No classical trends, as noted in the concerns theory, could be detected in this study. It was statistically inferred that a majority of Mathematics student teachers who participated in this study were moderately concerned about most of the concerns statements noted in each of the items on the SCQ. In addressing the variable quality of the learning material the study focused on the development and the use of social context learning packages. The utilisation of these learning packages (in an intervention strategy) was aimed at strengthening social context knowledge and education, and explored its role in the translation (if any) of student teacher concerns within a hierarchical spectrum. The evidence on how student teachers perceived the use of these learning packages was recorded during the interviews. Analyses of the verbal data revealed that the participating student teachers agreed with the use of social context learning packages as part of their Mathematics lessons. In sum, the need to prepare effective Mathematics teachers and raise the academic calibre of prospective Mathematics teachers was fundamental to the overall design of this study. It is trusted that curriculum planners and designers will consider the recommendations of this study to address the so-called inadequacies within the education system of South Africa. / Thesis (PhD (Mathematics Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013